Lavandula plant named &#39;FW Whimsical&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘FW Whimsical’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit, dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; light purple-colored flowers with medium to large light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts arranged on short terminal spikes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas pedunculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FW WHIMSICAL’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicant: Steven Eggleton

Title: Lavandula Plant Named ‘FW Radiance’

Filed: Feb. 25, 2019, concurrently with this application

Applicant: Steven Eggleton

Title: Lavandula Plant Named ‘FW Spellbound’

Filed: Feb. 25, 2019, concurrently with this application

This application claims priority to the Australia Plant Breeder's Rights application number 2018/038, filed Feb. 26, 2018.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas pedunculata, commonly referred to as Spanish Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘FW Whimsical’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact and freely-flowering Lavandula plants with good garden performance and attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a cross-pollination in October, 2009 of Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘Papillon’, not patented, as the female or seed, parent with Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,447, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia in October, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by softwood terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia since December, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘FW Whimsical’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.

2. Freely branching growth habit, dense and bushy appearance.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Light purple-colored flowers with medium to large light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts arranged on short terminal spikes.

5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Papillon’, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more upright than and not as spreading as plants of ‘Papillon’.

2. Plants of the new Lavandula have broader sterile flower bracts than plants of ‘Papillon’.

3. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Papillon’ differ in sterile flower bract color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula have light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts whereas flowers of plants of ‘Papillon’ have mauve-colored sterile flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lavandula have shorter inflorescences than plants of ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’.

2. Plants of the new Lavandula have narrower sterile flower bracts than plants of ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’.

3. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’ differ in sterile flower bract color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula have light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts whereas flowers of plants of ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’ have light pink-colored sterile flower bracts.

4. Plants of the new Lavandula have longer peduncles than plants of ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘FW Radiance’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘FW Radiance’ differ primarily in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula are light purple in color with light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts whereas flowers of plants of ‘FW Radiance’ are purple in color with red purple-colored sterile flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘FW Spellbound’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘FW Spellbound’ differ primarily in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula are light purple in color with light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts whereas flowers of plants of ‘FW Spellbound’ are dark violet in color with purple violet-colored sterile flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,256. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lavandula have longer sterile flower bracts than plants of ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’.

2. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ differ in sterile flower bract color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula have light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts whereas flowers of plants of ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ have pink-colored sterile flower bracts.

3. Plants of the new Lavandula have longer peduncles than plants of ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can also be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Sensation White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Sensation White’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lavandula have longer sterile flower bracts than plants of ‘Sensation White’.

2. Sterile flower bracts of plants of the new Lavandula are more spreading than and not as upright as sterile flower bracts than plants of ‘Sensation White’.

3. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Sensation White’ differ in sterile flower bract color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula have light red purple-colored sterile flower bracts whereas flowers of plants of ‘Sensation White’ have white-colored sterile flower bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘FW Whimsical’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘FW Whimsical’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following detailed description were grown in 20-cm containers during the spring in an outdoor nursery in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were pinched two times and were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from −1° C. to 20° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘FW     Whimsical’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lavandula stoechas pedunculata             ‘Papillon’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Lavandula stoechas pedunculata             ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.             22,447. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal softwood vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 to 28             days at temperatures ranging from 23° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 to 40             days at temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white to light             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             broadly upright plant habit; roughly globular to broadly             ovate in overall shape; moderately vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate; flowers arranged in verticillasters on             terminal spikes.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 16.3             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 22.6             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 21.3 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About nine             primary lateral branches each with about ten secondary             branches developing per plant during the flowering season.             Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Internode             length: About 2.9 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect:             Upright to somewhat outwardly. Texture and luster: Densely             tomentose; slightly glossy. Color, developing: Close to 144B             to 144C; at the internodes, between 143C and 144B. Color,             developed: Close to 199B and 199C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Narrowly             oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire;             slightly to moderately revolute. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Densely pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Moderately to densely pubescent; matte. Fragrance:             Strongly aromatic, pungent. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B to NN137C;             venation, close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single salverform             flowers arranged in verticillasters on terminal spikes;             freely flowering habit with about 115 flowers developing per             inflorescence and about 3,850 flowers developing per plant;             flowers with two-lobed upper lip and three-lobed lower lip;             flowers face mostly outwardly on the spike.         -   Natural flowering season.—Relatively long flowering period;             continuous from late spring into the summer in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             50 days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Moderately tomentose;             matte. Color: Close to 143B; distally, tinged with close to             N186C; at the apex, close to N186A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper lip: About 1 cm.             Length, lower lip: About 9 mm. Width, upper lip: About 2 mm.             Width, lower lip: About 2 mm. Shape: Roughly spatulate;             lower 70% fused into a tube. Apex: Obtuse, rounded. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper (inner) surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower             (outer) surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper (inner) and             lower (outer) surfaces: Close to N186A. Fully opened, upper             (inner) surface: Close to between N92A and N186B; throat,             close to 86A to 86B; color becoming closer to N186A with             development. Fully opened, lower (outer) surface: Close to             between N92A and N186B; tube, close to 86C and proximally,             close to N87D; color becoming closer to N186A with             development.         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             seven flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract.             Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Broadly             rhomboidal. Apex: Broadly aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely tomentose; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to             187C; venation, close to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close             to 187C; venation, close to between N186B and N200A.         -   Sterile flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Four             sterile flower bracts at apex of spike. Length: About             2.2 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic to             narrowly oblong to narrowly obovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Sparsely tomentose; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to N82B; main vein, tinged with close to             N186B. Color, lower surface: Close to N82B; main vein, close             to 187A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Calyx length: About 7 mm. Calyx diameter:             About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper (inner) and lower (outer)             surfaces: Densely pubescent; moderately glossy to glossy.             Color: When opening, upper (inner) surface: Close to 145A;             venation, close to 143A. When opening, lower (outer)             surface: Close to 143B; distally, tinged with close to             N186C. Fully opened, upper (inner) surface: Close to 145A;             venation, close to 143A. Fully opened, lower (outer)             surface: Close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 144A;             distally, tinged with close to 176A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 84D.             Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 0.75 mm. Anther             color: Close to 21B to 21C. Pollen amount: Scarce to             moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14A to 14B. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma             diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma             color: Close to N186A. Style length: About 3.5 mm. Style             color: Close to 85C. Ovary color: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lavandula     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Lavandula plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind and temperatures     ranging from −2° C. to 42° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘FW Whimsical’ as illustrated and described. 